Now that I have posting access I would absolutely love for you to take a look at my most recent rejection. By no means do I think that the rejection was in error, nor is this my favorite picture just the most recently rejected. I am merely looking to recieve hints and tips on my edit and how to improve in my editing process. I did with this the same things I do will all of my photos. Leveling, Levels, saturation, contrast, unsharp mask. My camera is the Panasonic Lumix FZ-5.

Thanks for having a go at it. If its not too much trouble could you post the steps you take as well as the finalized picture? I don't plan to reupload using anyone else's edit and as I stated in the original post, would just like to use this as a learning experience.

Thanks again,

John

Even scientists say...everything is just light...not created/destroyed but eternally bright!

1. Level the shot
2. Apply colour correction (image -> adjustments -> auto colour) and check histogram (image -> adjustments -> levels). Should be no flat areas at the start of the end of the graph.
3. Crop image to desired size, usuall around 1100 px wide or 1024 wide.
4. Equalise the shot to suss out any dust spots.
5. Copy the existing layer to make two layers.
6. Apply USM to top layer. (filter -> sharpen -> unsharp mask). Adjust percentage accordingly. Radius = 0.2 threshold = 0 (these will be different for different users).
7. If jaggies appear, erase these from the top layer - the smoother versions will then appear from the bottom layer.
8. Export (ctrl + alt + shift + S), making sure that the file size it not over 1mb.

That's how it comes to that...I think! Hope I have not missed anything along the way.

Thanks for the steps. Thats pretty much what I do as well, except checking for dust spots, which is something I am just NO GOOD at seeing. I guess in this case the problem was the original photo and not the editing steps. Thanks for the assistance!

John

Even scientists say...everything is just light...not created/destroyed but eternally bright!